CINCINNATI —

Greater Cincinnati Water Works officials said they're continuing to monitor the water quality of the Ohio River after trace amounts of two industrial chemicals leaked into the river due to a train derailment in East Palestine.

Crews released toxic chemicals into the air last week from five derailed tanker cars that were in danger of exploding and began burning them after warning residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line to leave immediately or face the possibility of death.

Authorities in East Palestine had warned that burning vinyl chloride that was in five of the derailed tanker cars would send hydrogen chloride and the toxic gas phosgene into the air. They said subsequent air monitoring hasn’t detected dangerous levels inside or outside the mile-radius evacuation zone.

Though the spill happened nearly 300 miles from Cincinnati, GCWW says it is part of a network of water utilities that constantly monitor the Ohio River and its tributaries.

Officials said GCWW officials have been working, looking at how they would detect the chemical and how they'd handle the treatment process in Cincinnati.

"During the past few days, GCWW scientists have looked at the size and location of the spill and calculated the travel time of the spill’s plume to reach Cincinnati. This is an advantage of the Ohio River, as its large size helps with diluting a spill, making it easier to treat," GCWW officials said.

GCWW is also looking at how to treat the spill if the plume reaches Cincinnati.

"We know that trace amounts of this chemical can cause minor odors to the water, but through conventional treatment and the use of powdered activated carbon, we can ensure a supply of safe and healthy water remains available to our customers," GCWW said in a statement.

Clermont County Water Resources Department also issued a statement saying they are aware of the train derailment and are monitoring the situation.

"Clermont County has three treatment plants, one of which is located in the southwestern portion of the County where it draws water from the Ohio River Valley Aquifer. This is a groundwater plant and does not draw water from the Ohio River. In an abundance of caution, if the contaminate plume still has concentrations at dangerous levels when it is passing by the area where our wellfield is located, Clermont County Water Resources may temporarily cease the operation of wells nearest the Ohio River bank until it is determined that the contaminate plume has passed," officials said in a statement.

There's only one place kids want to spend their summer: The pool. And even though this almost always guarantees a fun day in the sun, there are also some dangers. Keep these warnings — which go far beyond reminding your children not to run — in mind during your next visit.

For even more summer safety tips, check out the related video above.

MASSILLON, Ohio — Afton Taylor died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning on a routine boat trip in 2019. Now, his parents want to warn others.

Water is the backdrop of some of Krissy and Doug Taylor’s best memories.

Doug grew up on his father’s boat and, as tradition, began taking his kids on that same boat when they were young, too.

“It’s a boat I’d been on for 20 years. We are very seasoned boaters,” he said.

Doug is a North Canton firefighter. He said he always took proper safety precautions on the boat, especially with his children.

June 30, 2019, started out like any other trip to Salt Fork State Park. The couple brought their 7-year-old son Afton and his younger brother out on the boat.

“We were just boating as we normally do,” said Krissy.

“It was one of the best days we’ve ever had. He didn’t even fight with his brother that day,” said Doug.

That day turned into a tragedy as they were getting ready to leave.

“We’ve been going through no-wake zones with dangling feet in the water for as long as I can remember,” said Doug Taylor.

Afton was sitting in the back of the boat as it was moving at a slow speed in the no-wake zone.

“I looked over [to see] if he was OK, he gave me a thumbs-up, I went back to rolling up a rope to make sure everything was secure for the trip, and then he was gone,” said Doug. “That was the last time we saw him before we had to identify his body.”

The couple came to the realization that Afton fell off the boat. Officials searched for the little boy for hours and the next day, using sonar equipment, they found his body. It was concluded that he drowned.

“We knew our son could swim. We thought that was very odd,” said Krissy.

“My son was a swimmer. He’s been in the water since he was 6 months old,” added Doug.

It was a month later when the official report came out: Afton died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

“He was gone before he even touched that water,” said Krissy.

Officials warn the colorless and odorless gas can emit from the engine and can create a toxic vacuum of fumes at the back of the boat. It’s especially dangerous at slow speeds or when the boat is docked and the engine is on.

“It is an open boat, mid-engine boat and going at a slow speed, the exhaust is underneath the boat, underneath the back deck,” said Doug.

Doug, being a firefighter and an avid boater, never knew about the dangers of carbon monoxide in the open water. Krissy said they had never been warned about carbon monoxide poisoning on a boat.

“We’ve all sat back there. We all sat on those back seats, too. It’s what they’re for,” she said.

Now, through their pain, they want to share their story.

“When we lost Afton, there was just this hole right here and it never ever gets filled again, and it’s just this emptiness. That’s a good and bad thing because when I feel that emptiness, it’s like I have to do something. We have to do something. We have to tell other people about this and that’s what we are doing,” she said.

They want other parents to know that smaller children should never be in the back of the boat at low speeds, as carbon monoxide can poison their bodies at a faster rate.

“The proper way is for everybody to sit in the front of the boat,” said Doug. “Even the open air boats can be and is very dangerous to small children if you don’t know.”

T.J. Martin with the Parma Fire Department said it is important to buy a carbon monoxide detector for your boat, no matter what type it is and, especially, if you have a small indoor cabin.

“When you take the cabin of a boat, which is substantially smaller than a house, and emit carbon monoxide to the area, the area fills up exponentially quicker,” said Martin.

Martin said if you feel like you may have carbon monoxide poisoning, get into fresh air as fast as possible, away from the engine, and call 911.

The Taylors are working to create a law in Ohio dedicated to Afton and creating more awareness about carbon monoxide poisoning on boats.

They have started “Love Like Afton,” which is an organization dedicated to spreading information about carbon monoxide poisoning and dedicated to acts of kindness, like buddy benches at schools. They said their boy had a big heart and loved everyone.

“We just want to spread his love the best we can,” said Krissy.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include a headache, weakness, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness.

This story was originally published by Jessi Schultz at WEWS.